Undefeated Kansas and Kentucky Set for Chicago Showdown

No. 17 Kansas and No. 23 Kentucky are set to face off at the United Center in Chicago on November 10, in a matchup between two unbeaten teams. The game is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. Eastern time as part of the Champions Classic.

Kansas enters at 2-0, as does Kentucky. The Wildcats opened with an 85-57 win over Manhattan, then beat James Madison 89-80 after the teams were tied at halftime and the Dukes held a two-point lead with about 14 minutes remaining.

Kentucky’s roster includes Iowa State transfer Milan Momcilovic, who averaged 16.9 points and made 48.7% of his three-point attempts last season. Washington transfer Zoom Diallo is averaging 14 points for the Wildcats so far. Center Malachi Moreno, a 7-foot-1 sophomore, averaged 7.8 points and 6.3 rebounds last season.

Kansas has freshman Tyran Stokes, described as a leading first-year player and an early favorite for the top pick in the 2027 NBA Draft. Kentucky coach Mark Pope is in his third season with the Wildcats. He led the team to a 22-14 record and a second-round NCAA Tournament loss last season; Kentucky was picked seventh in the SEC preseason poll.

Last season, Kansas went 24-11 and shot 45.1% from the field and 34.6% from three-point range. Kentucky finished 22-14, allowing 74.3 points per game. The matchup will test Kansas against a Kentucky roster featuring multiple professional prospects.